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The secrets of fish

06 February 2013 / 21:02:05  GRReporter
3136 reads

Doctors, nutritionists and all kinds of nutrition experts recommend that we eat fish as often as we can. We also are of the opinion that it is an important source of nutrients for the human body and encourage children to eat a lot of fish in order for them to have good eyes and health. We often seek to replace the red meat on the table with fish, simply because it is healthier.

But is fish really so valuable to our bodies as we think? Should we prefer fresh or frozen fish?

The truth is that the majority of things we know about it are based on shared experiences and some of them probably have not been scientifically proven.
 
Therefore, we should reconsider some of the most common opinions and be more careful when choosing the type and amount of fish to consume.

Sometimes fish is... very fresh

The most popular belief is that fish should be consumed while fresh, almost immediately after it is caught. According to experts, however, fish and especially some species should come to the table after they have been stored in the freezer for several days. This state of "numbness" while freezing the fish gives a perfect texture of the fish flesh. You should remember this when another friend is telling you about tables laden with fresh fish and should not fall back into the "trap" of eating fish that is almost alive.

Excessive consumption of fish can be deadly

Eating fish is certainly very healthy for our body but anything that is healthy has its limits. If your diet is based exclusively on fish consumption, it can be really dangerous for your health. Many species of fish contain high amounts of mercury, which can cause heart disease and disorders of the nervous system over time. Sometimes, the negative consequences of excessive consumption of fish may outweigh the benefits. That is why experts recommend that we should include fish in our weekly menu not more than twice.

Sushi fish must be frozen

Do you like sushi? And do you often boast of ordering fresh fish sushi in the restaurant? Then you are probably not aware of the fact that the fish used for sushi is not very fresh. For reasons of hygiene and removal of all bacteria, the fish that reaches our plate in the form of sushi stays in the freezer for more than a week. The only exception to this rule is tuna, which, however, can also be frozen to be stored or transported.

Not all fish fats are healthy for the heart


Only 30% of fish fats are healthy for the heart because they contain large amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. The rest are a combination of different types of fat, including saturated fats, which are harmful to the human body. For example, tuna contains 25% of saturated fat whereas fresh salmon contains only 10% of saturated fat when cooked. So, we should be careful when consuming oily fish, especially when we have serious health problems.

Sea and river fish or pond fish

Almost all of us believe that free-swimming fish in the sea, river or lake are better than pond fish. It turns out that we are not quite right. There are environmental reasons that require reducing the consumption of free-swimming fish. Nowadays, overfishing has reached enormous proportions, the amount of fish is decreasing and dangerous chemicals like PCB are polluting the seawater. There are other reasons in addition to the environmental ones due for which fresh fish should not be our first choice. Therefore, it is necessary to be very well aware of the type of fish we are preparing to put on the table as well as where it has been caught.

Tags: NutritionFishDietitiansomega-3 fatty acidsSushi
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